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  1. #21
    Yellow Jacket
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    Quote Originally Posted by bulldog49
    Does your outfitter sell Osprey packs? If not, he may be a bit biased.
    He actually does. I suspect he feels he has to carry the pack because it was in bp'er, but doesn't find it all that comfortable. And, for that mater, probably won't sell well once folks see the pack's true volume. Selling packs with less than 3500ci is very difficult as most folks think they need a 5000ci pack for a weekend hike.
    Yellow Jacket -- Words of Wisdom (tm) go here.

  2. #22
    Yellow Jacket
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    Quote Originally Posted by minnesotasmith
    or having to take EVERYTHING out of my pack every time I want to take my bag out or put it back in.
    How often do you take you bag out without remomving the rest of your gear?
    Yellow Jacket -- Words of Wisdom (tm) go here.

  3. #23

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    Oracle:

    I spent a good chunk of last spring and summer working at two of the Trail's best outfitters, in Hot Springs and later in Harpers Ferry.

    I met a lot of hikers who were unhappy with their original packs; many "switched out" in Hot Springs. I also met hundreds in West Virginia, including many who has "switched out" 700 miles earlier.

    I heard more complaints about the Z-Pack than any other pack, and saw more blown out destroyed Z-Packs than any other. Compared to other packs of its class/size/price range, no other pack was even close in terms of the number of unhappy customers.

    I simply don't think this pack is as rugged, durable, or anywhere near as well made as a lot of other models. This doesn't mean I have any dislike or bias or animus against Gregory. This is a fine and reputable compaby. In this one case, tho, I simply don't think the Z is a particularly good piece of gear.

    And Medicine Man, no, I don't own stock in Osprey, nor am I paid for praising them in public. My favorable comments come from first-hand experience: I've used Ospreys since 1996, including seven consecutive thru-hikes; my total mileage with Ospreys is now well over 16,000. They also have a superb customer service department (i.e. warranty/repair), tho I've had to use it only twice, and in one case, it was due to pack damage incurred when someone borrowed my pack and beat it up while climbing Aconcagua. In brief, I think this is a great company, but no, I don't own any stock!

  4. #24

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    tlbj6142-"How often do you take you bag out without remomving the rest of your gear?"
    I'll answer from my own decades of experience-100% of the time. I have used a lot of packs over the last 45 years and wouldn't buy a pack that is basically one big compartment. Why would you want to remove your rain gear, food bag, spare clothes, dirty clothes, first aid kit, camera, etc., just to get the one item you need-the sleeping bag?

    Other hikers may disagree but I don't feel the loss of efficiency or the ability to be organized is worth saving a few ounces.

  5. #25
    First Sergeant SGT Rock's Avatar
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    I put my gear in separate sil-nylon bags inside the big compartment. So I figure I gain an extra level of water protection while staying organized and saving a few ounces. I use the Gearskin and have been very happy with it.
    SGT Rock
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    My 2008 Trail Journal of the BMT/AT

    BMT Thru-Hikers' Guide
    -----------------------------------------

    NO SNIVELING

  6. #26
    Yellow Jacket
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    Quote Originally Posted by The Old Fhart
    just to get the one item you need-the sleeping bag?
    That's where we have a difference in technique. I can't think of one time I needed my sleeping bag, but did NOT need to get out 90% of the rest of my gear. So, I might have 1 small stuff sack with stuff I don't need immediately in camp (camera, journal, first aid, whistle, map, compass, etc.).

    When I get into camp, I need my food. I need my stove/fuel. I need my ground cloth. I need my shelter. I need my pad. I need my camp clothes. My rain gear is my pillow (or I wear it). There just isn't much I don't need within the first hour after I get into camp.

    Now if I were to sleep in shelters all the time, I might understand. But, even then, the only item I wouldn't need within the first hour, or so, is my shelter (one stuff sack).
    Yellow Jacket -- Words of Wisdom (tm) go here.

  7. #27
    LT '79; AT '73-'14 in sections; Donating Member Kerosene's Avatar
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    The only time that I've ever needed my sleeping bag out without needing all my other in-camp stuff is when I stop for an extended break at a shelter on a very cold or wet day. I also use stuffsacks for most of my gear, so a single big compartment works okay once you have the packing approach down. I do miss having a secure, zippered pocket for my wallet, car key, etc., which is why I will probably purchase the Granite Gear Lid.
    GA←↕→ME: 1973 to 2014

  8. #28

    Default Tlbj said...

    "Now if I were to sleep in shelters all the time, I might understand. But, even then, the only item I wouldn't need within the first hour, or so, is my shelter (one stuff sack)."

    So, someone who is using a shelter would not need this large item (tent) at all that night. Someone who is not using a shelter that night, would need it very early on, probably first thing if it were raining. Hmmm...

    Sounds like, for people who sometimes do and sometimes don't use shelters, having a separate sleeping bag compartment in their backpack to put their tentroll in would be a very, very handy thing. Multiuse items are good, after all...

  9. #29

    Default to each his own.

    “That's where we have a difference in technique. I can't think of one time I needed my sleeping bag, but did NOT need to get out 90% of the rest of my gear. So, I might have 1 small stuff sack with stuff I don't need immediately in camp (camera, journal, first aid, whistle, map, compass, etc.).

    When I get into camp, I need my food. I need my stove/fuel. I need my ground cloth. I need my shelter. I need my pad. I need my camp clothes. My rain gear is my pillow (or I wear it). There just isn't much I don't need within the first hour after I get into camp.

    Now if I were to sleep in shelters all the time, I might understand. But, even then, the only item I wouldn't need within the first hour, or so, is my shelter (one stuff sack).”
    Ah, sleeping in shelters has absolutely nothing to do with it. On my thru in 1998 I stayed in my tent all but about 10 nights. I don’t always eat where I sleep but may have supper earlier and continue hiking for a few more miles so I almost never would need to empty my pack unless I was going to wash it.

    As to “1 small stuff sack with stuff I don't need immediately in camp (camera, journal, first aid, whistle, map, compass, etc.)”, I don’t, and couldn’t, live that way. My camera is a 35mm SLR with a 28-200mm zoom lens and anyone who knows me knows why this is important to me. I also carry about 10 rolls of 36 exposure Fuji Velvia film and sometimes a tripod so I generally have more than 5 pounds of camera equipment with me. My first aid kit actually has first aid supplies in it rather than just a band-aid or two and is large enough to be in its own case and rides in one of the ouside pockets on my pack. My water filter is in another of the outside pockets. My dirty clothes are in their own stuff sack and my clean clothes in another. My rain gear is outside the main Ultrex stuff sack I made to line the main compartment of my pack. My stove and fuel bottle are in an outside pocket for safety.

    So while others are listening to their new-found neighbor snore in the shelter, I’m in my 2-person tent with my half-full pack next to me, either listening to my MP3 player/FM radio, typing my journal on my computer or reading one of the many novels store on it, or just calling home.

  10. #30

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    I like the information you have provided Roland. It may be difficult to format the table to be any wider and time consuming to include all the bells and whistles of every pack. Thank you for the information provided.

    Regarding finding a pack with a separate sleeping compartment, wouldn't it be reasonable to say that this is a feature that tends to disappear below the 3500-4000 ci range?

    If possible, I would suggest sorting the packs by volume. I definitely like the links.

  11. #31
    First Sergeant SGT Rock's Avatar
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    No need to post the bells and whistles IMO. Seems that someone will most likely pick a weight range and CI range they want, then use the links to do some research on their own. It would be nice to link to some reviews if possible, but we don't have reviews of all these packs. And my guess would be everyone would review mostly positive, so the reviews wouldn't be too terrible helpful.
    SGT Rock
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    My 2008 Trail Journal of the BMT/AT

    BMT Thru-Hikers' Guide
    -----------------------------------------

    NO SNIVELING

  12. #32
    Livin' life in the drive thru! hikerjohnd's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Alligator
    If possible, I would suggest sorting the packs by volume. I definitely like the links.
    Definitly a good idea - or perhaps sortable (is that a word?) by the users choice (like sorting your email by date or sender, etc)
    So be it.
    --John

  13. #33
    First Sergeant SGT Rock's Avatar
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    I like it by weight

    But, I could see the issue. Since we don't have the ability to sort on-line by your preferred category, I could make the file a down-loadable attachment in comma delineated spreadsheet format so the user could download it and open it in any spreadsheet software, then sort as they please.
    SGT Rock
    http://hikinghq.net

    My 2008 Trail Journal of the BMT/AT

    BMT Thru-Hikers' Guide
    -----------------------------------------

    NO SNIVELING

  14. #34

    Default I still think...

    That empty pack weight/maximum loaded pack weight and empty pack weight/pack maximum volume (both calculated out) are the main things I need to know. I don't much care about price if the pack will work best for me; a heavy pack that can't carry much would be a lousy deal IMO even if it only cost ten bucks.

  15. #35
    Springer-->Stony Brook Road VT MedicineMan's Avatar
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    Default Roland---excellent job and much work

    Tables like this are never easy and take hours to put together, so thanks for the major effort!

    And Jack...thanks for being so up front, you always are.
    I cant seem to keep a single brand of pack on my back to ever wear it out.
    Not that I'm itching to try anything new now but if I did Osprey would be tops on the list simply because of your recomendation, however I'm still enjoying/exploring the benefits of the Luxurylite.

    Attrol---what about a 'tables' section where all tables formulated could reside, or is it already here?

  16. #36
    First Sergeant SGT Rock's Avatar
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    Tables can reside in the Article forums.
    SGT Rock
    http://hikinghq.net

    My 2008 Trail Journal of the BMT/AT

    BMT Thru-Hikers' Guide
    -----------------------------------------

    NO SNIVELING

  17. #37
    Springer-->Stony Brook Road VT MedicineMan's Avatar
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    Default Roger that Rock

    but tables aren't articles

  18. #38
    First Sergeant SGT Rock's Avatar
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    Yes, but tables can really wack out the site, so we have limited them to those to forums to limit the possible damage they can cause.
    SGT Rock
    http://hikinghq.net

    My 2008 Trail Journal of the BMT/AT

    BMT Thru-Hikers' Guide
    -----------------------------------------

    NO SNIVELING

  19. #39
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    I have used a Golite Speed for the past three years. I have had it on the trail for as much as three weeks at a time and carried 30-32 pounds. I have been satisfied with it. It does feel a little better when the weight is down to 25-28 pounds, but it will carry 30+ without killing my shoulders (or pack).





    Quote Originally Posted by Just Jeff
    I've regularly carried 30-35 lbs in my Speed and haven't had a problem yet. It's only got a few hundred miles on it, though.

  20. #40
    Registered User bulldog49's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jack Tarlin
    Oracle:

    I spent a good chunk of last spring and summer working at two of the Trail's best outfitters, in Hot Springs and later in Harpers Ferry.

    I met a lot of hikers who were unhappy with their original packs; many "switched out" in Hot Springs. I also met hundreds in West Virginia, including many who has "switched out" 700 miles earlier.

    I heard more complaints about the Z-Pack than any other pack, and saw more blown out destroyed Z-Packs than any other. Compared to other packs of its class/size/price range, no other pack was even close in terms of the number of unhappy customers.

    I simply don't think this pack is as rugged, durable, or anywhere near as well made as a lot of other models. This doesn't mean I have any dislike or bias or animus against Gregory. This is a fine and reputable compaby. In this one case, tho, I simply don't think the Z is a particularly good piece of gear.
    Jack, are you confusing the Z pack with the G pack? What you described has been well reported about the G but I haven't heard that about the Z.
    "If you don't know where you're going...any road will get you there."
    "He who's not busy living is busy dying"

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